Most people who exercise regularly know that working out actually helps boost your energy level, not diminish it, and at least one study shows that working out over the middle of the day can actually help you stay motivated and productive when you clean up and head back to the office.

A study conducted by researchers at Elon University showed that not only did exercisers have more energy after their workout, their cognitive abilities showed improvement as well. Lifestyle blog Greatist suggests you harness that mental boost by working out over the middle of the day, right when you're starting to slump, and then head back to the office recharged. The only caveat is that workers who were super-stressed didn't experience the cognitive benefits, and were actually less productive. So check your stress in the locker room, okay?

Obviously not everyone has the type of job that will let you break for a long lunch to squeeze in a workout at a nearby gym, shower, and then come back to work, but for those people with some flexibility in their hours or an office building with a gym inside or nearby, it could be a good way to break the habit of sitting all day and squeeze a workout into your routine. Do you exercise in the middle of the day, when you get up, or before bed? Which time works best for you? Let's hear it in the comments below.